<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>One More City by Rainbowraptor</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23958904">One More City</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainbowraptor/pseuds/Rainbowraptor'>Rainbowraptor</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Invader Zim</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, M/M, Road Trips</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:40:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,290</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23958904</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainbowraptor/pseuds/Rainbowraptor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dib and Zim are on the last leg of their trip, however, there is still quite a bit left to work out. ZaDr kinda sorta but really more like QPP ZaDr or even ZaDf.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dib/Zim (Invader Zim)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>One More City</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Inspired by Gh0stly's Road trip AU. I have nothing much to say about this really, it's short, hopefully sweet. Probably could use more fleshing out. Meh I say. Fluffy nonsense ahoy!!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <a href="https://gh0stlyart.tumblr.com/post/616020404745666560/road-trip-au-road-trip-ive-had-this-idea-for-a">Gh0stlyart</a>
</p><p>Click the above link to see where the concept came from. It good, it real good.</p>
<hr/><p>Dib's face was alight in the glow of his phone. Zim wondered if he was still getting calls from the telemarketers and if he should just chuck the thing out the window and be done with it. He was sure the vultures and other desert critters would enjoy a snack. California was harsh. "Enough, Zim is trying to sleep." Zim hissed and made a grab for the phone. He leaned up from his sleeping bag and swiped at the device.</p><p>Dib, laying in the bed (it was his turn to be comfortable, besides, his weak human body needed cushiony pads or else he'd crumble to bits which was honestly the last thing Zim wanted) easily avoided Zim's attempt. He lifted the phone up high and stared down at Zim. "Thought you didn't need to sleep." Dib said, in a mocking tone.</p><p>Zim frowned. "This whole endeavour has been a challenge for Zim, sleep is not needed but it would be a great help for both our sakes. If I don't get some relief, I might kill us both. Your foul Earth sun did some damage on my skin and it would repair faster after some sleep cycles."</p><p>Dib rolled his eyes but he finally put down the cellphone on the side table. He shifted, one arm under his head as he looked at Zim. The Dib did look somewhat better Zim thought. Actually, a great deal better. Well fed, stronger, more, well more <em> alive </em>. The Dib was even smiling. </p><p>Zim smirked. Success. "Zim has learned a lot from our trip, your species is lacking defense in so many places, mostly from underground attacks, as soon as we get back, prepare to be challenged by Zim like never before and..." </p><p>Zim stopped, letting his words go. Dib had that look about his face. Distant and worried and tired. No, that was not ideal and not OK. Those amber stone eyes shouldn't be faded. </p><p>"That, hey, stink-thing, stop it." Zim ordered.</p><p>Dib focused. "Sorry, what?"</p><p>Zim hissed. "When we get back-"</p><p>"You know, " Dib sat up suddenly, "I really think we haven't found enough weak places, yeah, I think there might be one more spot to check. If not this time, maybe, ya know...next time." He pulled out that damn phone again but also patted the side of the bed. "C'mere."</p><p>Zim stood, bringing his sleeping bag with him, half in desire to say snug, half to help protect himself from getting too close to the Dib. He sat beside his <em>friend</em>, trying his best to calm his racing thoughts and the blush rising to his face. </p><p><em> Keep the feelings out of this, keep the feelings out of this</em>. Zim thought as he looked over Dib's shoulder. On the phone screen, Zim saw what looked like the city of New York but more crowded and more crushed together, with more lights and more buzz, even more than Los Angeles. Zim winced. "Is that…but isn't that?" He asked.</p><p>Dib smiled and Zim felt like he had a spooch full of butterflies (which was impossible, they'd had waffles and chocolate syrup for dinner, not insects.) "Yeah," he said. "It is. I really, really want to go there before..." It was Dib's turn to trail off.</p><p>Zim stared at Dib who was flicking through the pictures in the phone, the other man was talking excitedly (not too loudly, they really didn't want to get kicked out of yet another hotel) legs hanging off the side of the bed, swinging a little as he told Zim of the level of sheet awesome this new destination held. He was dressed in a pair of PJ pants, black and designed with various cryptids. Zim remembered laughing at them a year or two ago. Now, up close, after spending so much <em> time </em> up close, Zim couldn't imagine doing that now. Instead, he wanted nothing more than to simply lean in and embrace the human.</p><p>Dib finally stopped talking. "Whoa, hey, Urth to Space Boy." He waved a hand in front of Zim's face. He stopped after a second, smile leaving his face, "I was just messing with you, we...we can go home if you want, if you're done with this whole...experiment." At this last word, Dib's face flickered into a quick expression of anguish and shame. It was gone, quickly, but Zim, with his superior Irken eyes caught it. </p><p>Zim knew two things, well three, actually. One, Dib didn't want to go home just yet, he wasn't ready. Whatever had been eating up the Dib for longer than a year now was still chewing. Two, if Dib wasn't ready and still being eaten, then Zim wasn't done with his mission. Three, this meant that they were going to one more spot where Zim hoped whatever was making a meal out of his friend would finally curl up and die, even if it meant another traveling to another city with insane foods, smells, people in horrible costumes, and crazy train routes. </p><p>Especially if it meant being by Dib's side to help the human smile, laugh, and return to being <em> his </em>  Dib.</p><p><em> Feelings, </em> Zim warned from the back of his brain, <em> this isn't about Zim, this is about the Dib. If he's broken, taking over the world would be too simple too- </em></p><p>Zim took one claw and touched Dib's hand. "If Dib-smelly wishes to go to Tokyo, then we go to Tokyo." He said.</p><p>Dib blinked then laughed nervously. "Seriously, stop kidding man, not funny."</p><p>Zim hopped out of his sleeping bag and snatched the phone from Dib's hands. Dib came after him, as he always would, so Zim leapt up high and attached himself to a corner next to the ceiling. Dib was tall but he wasn't about to reach Zim without a chair or giving himself the ability to leap like a flea. </p><p>"Zim!" Dib hissed. He looked around for a chair and found none. </p><p>Zim typed, searched, then, there! He found it. Zim booked the flight, confirmed, then he gave Dib a mad grin. Zim threw himself back on to the bed and waggled Dib's phone in the human's face. "Too late, soon, Tokyo's weaknesses will be Irken knowledge!"</p><p>Dib took the phone and stared. "You... you really did it, but, Zim...you…" for a split second, Zim was worried he'd messed up in some way which, Zim couldn't imagine how but humans were strange and…</p><p>"Fucking crazy ass roach, " Dib giggled, then chuckled. The Dib's sounds brought Zim immense joy so Zim joined in, relieved and warm with, yes, feelings. Especially when Dib hugged him right. "Thanks man." Dib said.</p><p>Zim froze and closed his eyes. He didn't want to break whatever spell was happening, despite that part of him that demanded he knock back Dib and crawl back into his sleeping bag.</p><p>There was a loud knock on the wall. "Get a room!" Slurred another guest.</p><p>Dib let go and Zim felt confused, upset, and happy all at once. "YOU GET A ROOM!" They both shouted in unison. After which, they both broke out into fits of giggles. </p><p>Dib was more silent about it but Zim got a little louder. "Ssshh, sssh!" Dib warned though barely able to breathe for his own laughter. He smacked Zim with a pillow.</p><p>Zim cackled, retreating into the safety of his sleeping bag like an Urth turtle. </p><p>They continued on for an hour or so, much to the annoyance of the neighbor. Zim didn't care, this pillow fight was surely the best battle that the world had ever seen. At least, it was for Zim, and that was enough.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>